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While its fresh, lets put down some thoughts on the subject from what we just saw.
I really want to get Toews going, I think our only chance is to do some mathmatical balancing, look at what won championships (Bickell/Kane, Buff/Kane).
I believe Crawford is good enough except against the Preds, and maybe would have issues against Penguins side to side game.
It takes great offense to beat him. A healthy lightning, wild, tarasenko and the Sedin twins have given us problems.
I think this is Anaheims last gasp.
I'll get to a point, ...The Blackhawks should seperate Panarin and Kane. Let them use what they have learned less often, making the power play less familiar to teams and more dangerous. You can always use that change-up, but in the future I think it should be the exception as we prepare for a playoffs where they don't mesh well. Regular season is cool and breezy, but they don't go together in the playoffs. Kane is on the first line. Don't pretend. I believe he should be with Panik.
1st Line. Panik-Smaltz-Kane (I think the best use of Smaltz is to turn the ice with the guys around him and keep him on offense or mostly in need of stopping the break/counterattack on defense. His speed and offense and skill mesh well, Panik is the most physical/skill guy we have, and Kane ain't soft, turn Smaltz around, those skilled forwards don't necessarily need a true center, and Smaltz opens up the ice. But Panik is a net front guy.
Panarin-AA-(Hayden/Hartman/Hossa...really have we tried AA and Hossa at some point? lets take a longer look...Panarin/Healthy AA would be plenty to carry a line 2 ways with the right partner, find the right partner, all 3 guys bring a physical element to them, with two way potential, its not hard to play with Panarin, let him create more random offense without Kane to rely on)
(Hayden/Hartman)-Toews-(Hayden/Hartman/Hossa/Bondra/Debricat/Motte/Baun/Forslin/Hinostroza)
The biggest thing of all may be, that a rested Toews is a better Toews, and a scary Toews. Whatever the reason, training or age or miles, the guy needs early rest. Move him to third for his own good, and have a fresher Toews in the playoffs. Let Smaltz be an engine with guys that don't need nothing from nobody to score with ease...give Kane a fast target and some protection, a net skill guy...damn...I'm telling you. This fits better for Kane. Those guys can shoot, and each have a flavor for Kane to toy with. Panarin is a fun long muzzle musket, thats a fun game, save it for the power play. Their back and forth game was predictable half way through 2015-16.
Those are my most likely candidates with Shalunov reported to be in KHL at least 3 more seasons. Will be fun to play out, but we have seen this core structure fizzle out badly two times in playoffs. I would roll the slot machine and try some drastic things. Maybe being on the third line will really piss off Toews. May we be so lucky.
(I guess I am overlooking face-offs on line one a bit, so maybe you do this but you work out a strategy to give Smaltz short shifts, and overlap Panarin, AA, Toews into Kane ice time as much as possible.
I really want to get Toews going, I think our only chance is to do some mathmatical balancing, look at what won championships (Bickell/Kane, Buff/Kane).
I believe Crawford is good enough except against the Preds, and maybe would have issues against Penguins side to side game.
It takes great offense to beat him. A healthy lightning, wild, tarasenko and the Sedin twins have given us problems.
I think this is Anaheims last gasp.
I'll get to a point, ...The Blackhawks should seperate Panarin and Kane. Let them use what they have learned less often, making the power play less familiar to teams and more dangerous. You can always use that change-up, but in the future I think it should be the exception as we prepare for a playoffs where they don't mesh well. Regular season is cool and breezy, but they don't go together in the playoffs. Kane is on the first line. Don't pretend. I believe he should be with Panik.
1st Line. Panik-Smaltz-Kane (I think the best use of Smaltz is to turn the ice with the guys around him and keep him on offense or mostly in need of stopping the break/counterattack on defense. His speed and offense and skill mesh well, Panik is the most physical/skill guy we have, and Kane ain't soft, turn Smaltz around, those skilled forwards don't necessarily need a true center, and Smaltz opens up the ice. But Panik is a net front guy.
Panarin-AA-(Hayden/Hartman/Hossa...really have we tried AA and Hossa at some point? lets take a longer look...Panarin/Healthy AA would be plenty to carry a line 2 ways with the right partner, find the right partner, all 3 guys bring a physical element to them, with two way potential, its not hard to play with Panarin, let him create more random offense without Kane to rely on)
(Hayden/Hartman)-Toews-(Hayden/Hartman/Hossa/Bondra/Debricat/Motte/Baun/Forslin/Hinostroza)
The biggest thing of all may be, that a rested Toews is a better Toews, and a scary Toews. Whatever the reason, training or age or miles, the guy needs early rest. Move him to third for his own good, and have a fresher Toews in the playoffs. Let Smaltz be an engine with guys that don't need nothing from nobody to score with ease...give Kane a fast target and some protection, a net skill guy...damn...I'm telling you. This fits better for Kane. Those guys can shoot, and each have a flavor for Kane to toy with. Panarin is a fun long muzzle musket, thats a fun game, save it for the power play. Their back and forth game was predictable half way through 2015-16.
Those are my most likely candidates with Shalunov reported to be in KHL at least 3 more seasons. Will be fun to play out, but we have seen this core structure fizzle out badly two times in playoffs. I would roll the slot machine and try some drastic things. Maybe being on the third line will really piss off Toews. May we be so lucky.
(I guess I am overlooking face-offs on line one a bit, so maybe you do this but you work out a strategy to give Smaltz short shifts, and overlap Panarin, AA, Toews into Kane ice time as much as possible.